# Terminology: Being on a "fixed income" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 10, 2013, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminology-being-on-a-fixed-income/652538 "2013-03-10T06:06:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminology-being-on-a-fixed-income/652538/41 "2013-03-12T02:34:14Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > Really? > > I think the usage you describe (including _poor_) is widely-understood, but not IME by people who _hate_ poor folk. I’d like to say what sort of people are currently saying this, but that may be politics and unsuitable for GQ… ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminology-being-on-a-fixed-income/652538/42 "2013-03-12T09:53:54Z")
Wow, I find your parents definition of those of us living on a fixed income to be for lack of a better word ignorant and downright insulting. Unfortunately I am one of those living on a “fixed” income. In my case, Social Security Disability. The reason for collecting this benefit isn’t by choice, but due to a workplace accident that had left me unable to work. Prior to being a “scum sucking lowlife” and so called “poor person” I worked for twenty years and was making an income at the time of my injury of close to a $100k a year. What your parents fail to see is that the only reason that I and others are able to collect the meager benefit is that we, like anyone who works, paid into the system every single payday. We paid into the system with the promise that if we became unable to work we would collect on that promise. To try and categorize us as scum living off others is inaccurate and demeaning. You might want to remind them that if fate or bad luck had visited them, they very well might have ended up in this position as well. As mentioned above, those of us with savings have seen them dwindle as we have had to dip into them to just survive. The COLA borders on being a joke, in no way reflecting real world cost increases. In fact, giving us us a COLA increase and then raising the cost of our medical offsets any benefit it might have done for us. Despite the very meager (In my case more than most because of my high income while working) my wife and I have managed to be able to live a decent life and provide for our family. It isn’t easy, but we prioritize our spending and can’t complain. I am grateful that the safety net is there, but it it’s a safety net that was paid for during my working life and to have someone imply that I’m not as worthy as them because of a tragic misfortune is truly disgusting. On a side note, I find it amazing the amount of ignorance and down right hate that some tend to have towards those of us who are disabled. In a previous thread where I had asked about learning about auto body repair (learning about mind you, not doing) one poster went on a rant that if anyone who is disabled shouldn’t be able to do anything and if God forbid they had any kind of hobby they should be reported and cast out. Nevermind the part where I clearly said any activity I was able to do could only be done rarely and even then only for very short periods of time. The interest I had was to gain knowledge to be able to advise my sons when they asked for help and advice. It’s like we are expected to lie in bed waiting to die, we don’t deserve to have any enjoyment out of life. Somehow I suspect those with opinions such as that poster and your parents would have a different opinion if circumstances led them to where we are. But judging from their superior attitudes they would probably consider themselves the rare bird who is the exception and “deserves” the benefit. To sum up, how about realizing that the vast majority of us that are disabled are here because of events out of our control. That we would give anything to be able to return to work and to the way things were before life injuries. There is no “easy” living in this circumstance. Everyday is a huge challenge, both financially and physically. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminology-being-on-a-fixed-income/652538/44 "2013-03-12T15:54:43Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > But typically ten thousand a year wouldn’t represent a fixed income; it would be somebody’s estimate of the rent roll of an estate owned by the person on question. Nobody with a fortune of two hundred and fifty thousand pounds invested it in the four per cents. I don’t know what to tell you; I’ve seen quite a few examples of rich people in 19th century literature talking about earning 4% (or 3.5% or 5%) a year on investments (whether that’s consols or mortgages or stock or whatever). YMMV. A couple of quotes from Trollope: > [@Ayala's Angel](#): > > But he was a generous man, who would be more than contented with the income coming from £120,000. He would not spunge upon the house at Queen’s Gate. He would not make use of Merle Park and Glenbogie. He would have a house of his own for his old boots. Four-per-cent. would give them nearly £5,000 a year. > [@Phineas Redux](#): > > But his daughter would now be a rich woman; and was yet young, and there might still be splendour. “I suppose you won’t care to buy land,” he said. > > “Oh, Papa, do not talk of buying anything yet.” > > “But, my dear Laura, you must put your money into something. You can get very nearly 5 per cent. from Indian Stock.” > > “Not yet, Papa,” she said. But he proceeded to explain to her how very important an affair money is, and that persons who have got money cannot be excused for not considering what they had better do with it. No doubt she could get 4 per cent. on her money by buying up certain existing mortgages on the Saulsby property, which would no doubt be very convenient if, hereafter, the money should go to her brother’s child. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminology-being-on-a-fixed-income/652538/45 "2013-03-12T16:09:13Z")
Again in my experience, the term “fixed income” was one of art and not of linguistic accuracy. Sure a guy with a trust fund who gets a $50k per month stipend is technically on a fixed income, but nobody I knew would call it that. I also never heard it applied to people collecting welfare or disability benefits. In my experience, it was always applied to retired people and was a euphemism for a poor older person who didn’t/couldn’t save enough to live comfortably in retirement. I don’t remember it having a negative connotation, however. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminology-being-on-a-fixed-income/652538/46 "2013-03-13T03:17:36Z")
> [@Becky2844](#): > > When my husband and I were working we got paid every two weeks. Sometimes we could work overtime. > On Social Security you get a check once a month. Which means that every 2-3 months there’s a 5th week included in the month. Anybody else familiar with the dreaded 5th week? You know it’s coming…you try to plan for it… > Sometimes you can. > That, to me, is what a fixed income means. There’s never an extra week in a month. Besides February there is never more than one day’s difference from one month to the next. It’s not like anyone has to stretch to cover living expenses for an entire extra week just because a particular day of the week occurs one more time. I guess this could be an issue if you rent a room weekly and have to pay every Friday or for certain subscriptions and services. I did have to pay for 5 of a service I get every Friday this month. But it’s not like because there happened to be 5 Fridays that my food, shelter, and other expenses increased by 25% ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminology-being-on-a-fixed-income/652538/47 "2013-03-14T03:37:15Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > There’s never an extra week in a month. Besides February there is never more than one day’s difference from one month to the next. It’s not like anyone has to stretch to cover living expenses for an entire extra week just because a particular day of the week occurs one more time. I guess this could be an issue if you rent a room weekly and have to pay every Friday or for certain subscriptions and services. I did have to pay for 5 of a service I get every Friday this month. But it’s not like because there happened to be 5 Fridays that my food, shelter, and other expenses increased by 25% Since I live this, do you think I don’t know what I’m talking about? Go through your calendar. Imagine you get a check once a month at a certain time. Count **four** weeks from there. How often in a few month’s time do you find a “5th week” crop up before that payment date falls next? To make it easier for you, people whose birthday’s fall in the first half of the month get their Social Security checks on the first Wednesday of every month. For the others, it’s the fourth Wednesday. This is not hypothetical. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminology-being-on-a-fixed-income/652538/48 "2013-03-14T04:06:43Z")
> [@Becky2844](#): > > Since I live this, do you think I don’t know what I’m talking about? > > Go through your calendar. Imagine you get a check once a month at a certain time. Count **four** weeks from there. How often in a few month’s time do you find a “5th week” crop up before that payment date falls next? > > To make it easier for you, people whose birthday’s fall in the first half of the month get their Social Security checks on the first Wednesday of every month. For the others, it’s the fourth Wednesday. > > This is not hypothetical. QFT. I receive my SS benefits on the third Wednesday of every month. From my January payment on the 23rd to my February payment on the 20th was exactly five weeks. Go ahead and count 'em. There will be another five week hump between July - August and another one between October - November of this year. As **Becky** says, this is not hypothetical and is a very big hardship when it occurs. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminology-being-on-a-fixed-income/652538/49 "2013-03-14T04:42:45Z")
Thank you. _shakes **cochrane’s** hand_ Basically, we have an extra month to figure in each year. ---
**Author:** ![\_Olive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/4af34b/32.png) [@\_Olive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Olive)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminology-being-on-a-fixed-income/652538/50 "2013-03-14T04:49:30Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > QFT. > > I receive my SS benefits on the third Wednesday of every month. From my January payment on the 23rd to my February payment on the 20th was exactly five weeks. Go ahead and count 'em. There will be another five week hump between July - August and another one between October - November of this year. As **Becky** says, this is not hypothetical and is a very big hardship when it occurs. I only counted 4 weeks. I am going to start saying I am on a fixed income. I usually say I am on a limited income. I’ll see if I get a different reaction. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminology-being-on-a-fixed-income/652538/51 "2013-03-14T05:10:55Z")
> [@\_Olive](#): > > I only counted 4 weeks. > > I am going to start saying I am on a fixed income. I usually say I am on a limited income. I’ll see if I get a different reaction. Count again. Five Wednesdays from Jan. 23 to Feb. 20. Thirty-five days. Not 28. Not even 30 or 31. Thirty-five. Five entire weeks. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminology-being-on-a-fixed-income/652538/52 "2013-03-14T05:24:38Z")
> [@\_Olive](#): > > I only counted 4 weeks. > > I am going to start saying I am on a fixed income. I usually say I am on a limited income. I’ll see if I get a different reaction. Damn five minute edit window sucks. :mad: Please disregard my previous post and its tone. I’m sorry. I mis-spoke. I received my benefits for January on the 16th, not the 23rd. But my February payment did come on the 20th, so it was indeed five weeks from one payment to another. My apologies for the confusion, which was entirely on my part. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminology-being-on-a-fixed-income/652538/53 "2013-03-14T05:40:40Z")
No worries. That’s because you’re light-headed from _not eating._🆒 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminology-being-on-a-fixed-income/652538/54 "2013-03-14T06:06:35Z")
If you only knew how close to the truth that is. But actually you do know, don’t you. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminology-being-on-a-fixed-income/652538/55 "2013-03-14T15:19:31Z")
There are 52 weeks in a year (plus a day or two). Thus, every 3 months there are 13 weeks. Of course, February is 28 days which throws this count off a bit. Two months of 31 days adds 6 days over the 4 weeks per month. And, of course with leap years plus that extra day a year, about every 6 or so years there’s an extra week too. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminology-being-on-a-fixed-income/652538/56 "2013-03-14T15:57:10Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > If you only knew how close to the truth that is. But actually you do know, don’t you. 😉 I work a lot with the local homeless out here. Just so I could see how difficult it was, I spent a month eating nothing other than what I could get via food stamps and local charities. There was a surprising amount of food. The local Cathedral hands out food boxes with rice, beans, govt cheese, tortillas, fruit and some plain-wrap corn flakes, etc . Another church had 25# bags of onions and potatoes , plus a HUGE amount of day old bread, courtesy of Trader Joes. Filling but bland. And of course they handed out meals at the local parks. (Note, I bought my own, I didn’t take from them other than the day old bread, but they insisted). So, do ask around. I know it’s tough, and hardly gourmet, but there seems to be a lot of sources. However- I do agree- food stamps are not enough by themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminology-being-on-a-fixed-income/652538/57 "2013-03-15T06:49:06Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > If you only knew how close to the truth that is. But actually you do know, don’t you. 😉 😉 Bruddah from anuddah muddah. ---
**Author:** ![\_Olive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/4af34b/32.png) [@\_Olive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Olive)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminology-being-on-a-fixed-income/652538/58 "2013-03-15T06:56:02Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Damn five minute edit window sucks. :mad: Please disregard my previous post and its tone. > > I’m sorry. I mis-spoke. I received my benefits for January on the 16th, not the 23rd. But my February payment did come on the 20th, so it was indeed five weeks from one payment to another. My apologies for the confusion, which was entirely on my part. No worries. I was counting and counting. Even took my calendar off the wall. I think of it as my brain exercise. So thanks for the correct dates. No apology needed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminology-being-on-a-fixed-income/652538.md?page=2)